Signalling system to be restored in over 100 crossings in Dhaka

A fresh initiative has been taken to restore operation of signalling system in the city's over 100 crossings which remained almost stopped for a long time even after taking different projects spending more than Tk1.5 billion during the last two decades.

Officials said under the move, one corridor from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to High Court has been selected where local technology will be installed for operating the signals automatically and manually counting traffic.

"We have so far tried to install expensive and sophisticated signalling system with ITS several times but none worked in the city due to various reasons," said an official adding that local system will be tried this time in a very nominal fund.

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology has already shared its model with the authorities concerned including Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation.

Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), which has been updating the strategic transport plan for third time, has also identified 178 major intersections in the Dhaka metropolitan area to introduce the signal system.

Some 428 intersections were also spotted over DMA area to suggest introducing better operation of traffic system.

Though the STP 2025 report is yet to be finalised, the DSCC, DNCC and BUET will launch the home-grown system in 22 intersections within 8.0 kilometre area on experimental basis.

Of the total, six signal systems will be introduced under DNCC and 16 under DSCC.

However, sources said the signaling system to be operated through counting real traffic through watching CCTV from all sides of the road but signal light will be controlled manually in case of unusual traffic.

"It will be mixed of automated and manually operated which will be updated and upgraded reviewing traffic management of the intersection," said an official preferring not to be named.

Capital Dhaka has been identified as a unique city for having not a single signal operational as traffic police at all intersections including main road or lanes use hands to control traffic.

Traffic-engineering departments under the city corporations and traffic police under Dhaka Metropolitan Police were responsible for making the signal system operative at some 70 intersections built until 2018.

Though a control room was set up atop Nagar Bhaban's clock room, it remained locked all the time which officials said was due to shortage of manpower.

The Dhaka city corporation, before its bifurcation, had mainly carried out the signal-system-upgradation work since 2000.

However, it is alleged that traffic police are reluctant to make signal operative.

Under the Dhaka Urban Transport Project and Clean Air Sustainable Environment (CASE) Project, the city corporations had spent Tk1.09 billion and set up automated signal system in 70 intersections till 2012-13.

Later, timer-based remote-controlled digital signal system was installed in 2018, increasing new intersections and signals, at Tk340 million.

Afterwards, the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority also tried to install an integrated traffic system in four busy intersections of Paltan, Gulistan, Mohakhali and Gulshan at Tk 580.0 million in 2019.

But this initiative could not see light as its software got stolen and all the equipment installed at the crossing turned inoperative in different ways. At present signal system in Dhaka Cantonment only remains operative without trouble.

smunima@yahoo.com